Distractions and Neglect of the Youth from their Mental Wellbeing

“Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you
While you’re busy making other plans” – John Lennon

So many people, especially the younger generations, are so caught up in planning their future, that they neglect their mental health, that they become blind to what is going on inside their own minds. Such as, “One day I’m going to be a doctor, I have to do this, to get there, I have to study hard, do my extracurricular activities.” Or it might be, “I’m going to be a sports star one day, I have to practice hard, exercise, and make my way up the ladder until I’m at the top.” That’s all fine, in fact, it’s a great thing, but in a way, all that planning, studying, and practicing we do as youth is a distraction from what is going on in your mind. The thing is that even if you do achieve those dreams, a lot of the time it comes at the cost of your mental well-being. So now you have achieved your dream, but are you happy? Are you at peace with yourself, your mind? Many youths are using studies and sports as an escape from what’s happening in the background, and what’s going on in their mind. And the longer you neglect it, the larger the problem becomes. Then one day life hits you like a car, out of nowhere, and you don’t know how to cope because you’ve been neglecting your mind all this time, you haven’t developed the skills to cope. A lot of times you won’t even know what hit you because young people are so uneducated about mental health, that when something does happen, they become confused, they don’t know what they’re experiencing or what hit them. Yes, it’s important to work hard to achieve your dreams and what you have planned out, but the mind should be treated as a subject that you have to study as well. Because if you’ve studied, and adversity hits, you know some skills to cope and aren’t going to be completely run over by what your mind throws at you, instead of being hit by a truck, you might get hit by someone on a bicycle. So study mentally too, the test can come at any moment and you better be prepared for it, because you never know when such circumstances may arise, and they often arise due to us neglecting our minds.

I know people who use school and sports as a distraction from their mental struggles. Think of it like this, you are in a swimming pool and have football/soccer ball. That ball represents your inferior emotions, or whatever mental struggle you are trying to suppress. The harder and lower you push that ball down, the higher it’s going to rebound and shoot upwards eventually when you lose grip of that ball (your emotions skyrocket). So, my point is that you can plan your future and think about success and all of that, but your mind is it’s own different aspect of life that leads to the ultimate success. If you study and train your mind, like you would for a science exam or a basketball game, then you will always have the tools to cope with adversity.

But if adversity does strike and you aren’t prepared, you haven’t studied, then take my hand and I’ll help you cross the street. I’ll be your guide to get across that chaotic, dangerous street. There will always be that someone for you, it’s just about finding the right person, a person who you can trust and who will unconditionally care for you. A good friend will put down everything and run to the rescue with love when their friend is in distress.

So while you’re busy making other plans, keep an eye out for life, and your mind, because being caught by surprise can lead to terrible outcomes. Never ever neglect your mental health, even if you think you are fine.